Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Parkway Attacker in Court

This case is one of many that increase the obvious call we make continually for a much greater park ranger presence along the Parkway, which offers ample places of concealment for this type of attack to occur.

A 26-year-old man was taken into custody Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court after he was arraigned on felony charges of attempting to rape a 63-year-old jogger on the American River Parkway.

Bradley Michael Gray is charged with assault with the intent to commit rape and false imprisonment of the jogger, who was attacked Aug. 11, 2005, near Illinois Avenue and Sailor Bar Park.

If convicted as charged, Gray could be sentenced to nine years in prison.

Due to the seriousness of the crime and because Gray was on felony probation for 2003 and 2006 drug convictions, Deputy District Attorney Lani Biafore asked that Gray's $65,000 bail be increased to $1 million.

Judge Patrick Marlette declined to raise the bail. He set that issue for another judge to decide today.

In the meantime, Marlette ordered Gray, who was free after his parents posted bail, to be placed in custody for violating the terms of his felony probation.

According to detective reports, the suspect ran up behind the woman and knocked her to the ground when she was jogging about 8 a.m.

When the woman began to scream, the suspect put his hand over her mouth and attempted to sexually assault her. The woman was able to fight off her attacker and get away.

This blog is part of the ongoing work of the American River Parkway Preservation Society to provide public education and advocacy around public policy issues that may be related to the Parkway and the adjacent communities along the American River in Sacramento, California.